Cleaning-machine



A. L. HILDRETH AND A. M. MCLENDON.

CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19. I920.

Patented June 14, 1921.

L. HIlZdre/ZZL .M. j'f llenalon UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLEANING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 14, 1921.

Application filed April 19, 1920. Serial No. 374,981.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we ALoNzo L. HILDRETH' and ALEXANDER M. MCLENDON, bothciti- Zens of the United States, and both residing in Savannah, in thecounty of Chatham and State of Georgia, have jointly invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Cleaning-Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, andeflicient machine for cleaning garments, cloths, pieces of fabrics, etc.I

In carrying out our invention, we use a table of simple construction,and in the top thereof we mount two rotary brushes, one of which isemployed to remove dust from the article operated upon, and the other toremove spots or stains therefrom.

The dusting brush is mounted in a casing which is connected with anexhaust pump or fan, and the other brush is mounted in a small tank orreceptacle containing a cleaning fluid. Gearing is provided for drivingthe brushes and the fan, and the dusting brush, which extends a shortdistance above the table top, is divided into sections in order to moreefiiciently operate on the article being cleaned and to permit theexhaust mechanism to better perform its functions. In order to supportand guide the article being cleaned while passing over the dustingbrush, we employ rods or wires which bridge the opening in the tablethrough which the dusting brush extends and which are arranged betweenthe brush sections in such manner as to permit the bristles to properlyoperate upon the cloth while the latter is properly supported and heldin the best condition for cleaning purposes.

Our improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a top plan view of the machine. Fig. 2 shows a section onthe line 2-2 of Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in perspective of the casing of the dustingbrush.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a section of the brush.

The table A may be of any suitable construction. The top a of the tableissupported by the legs a, an held at the desired elevation. A tank Bfor containing a cleansing fluid b is attached to the underside of thetable top below an opening a therein which is preferably located nearone corner of the table. WVithin the tank is located a rotary brush Csecured to a shaft a carrying a pulley 0 by which it is driven. Thebrush extends a short distance above the top of the table as indicatedinFig. 2. The brush C is adapted to clean parts of the clothes orfabrlcs which are spotted or stained and, therefore, may be ofrelatively small dimensions.

A relatively large opening D is made in the table top and is preferablylocated centrally thereof and below this opening there is a casing E ofgeneral cylindrical form. It is open at the top, closed at oppositeends, and connected at its lower end with an exhaust pipe F leading toan exhaust pump or fan G. The upper edge e of the casing on one side ofthe top opening extends to the to of the table or a short distance aboveit, w ile the opposite edge e extends a considerable distance above thetable top.

A shaft H'extends through the casing and carries a series of brushes L,which are held a short distance apart on the shaft. Each of thesebrushes is cylindrical in general form and is divided into sections, asshown by intervening spaces Z. Bridge wires M are arranged across theopening D. One end of each wire is attached to the lower edge e of thecasing and the other end crosses the elevated edge 6' thereof. Each wireis bent as indicated at mand rests on the top of the table. There ispreferably a bridge wire between each two brushes and a bridge wire ateach end of the casing.

The shaft H is supported in suitable bearings h and one end is extendedbeyond the side of the table and'carries a driving pulley N operated bythe belt N. The shaft H also carries a pulley O belted to the fan G anda'pulley P belted to the pulley c' on the shaft 0 of the brush C. Saidshaft is mounted in suitable bearings 00 as indicated in Fig. 1.

All working parts of the apparatus are operated by the belt N' and thegearing is such as to give proper relative speeds to the two brushes andthe fan.

The machine is adapted to operate upon garments of various kinds, uponpieces of cloth, and various kinds of fabrics. The article is placed onthe table, preferably being moved from the right hand end thereof, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, over the dusting brush. \Vhile being moved overthe dusting brush, the article is supported by the bridge wires M andheld in a smooth and level condition. The bristles of the brushes Lextend upwardly between the bridge wires as indicated 1n 'Fig. 2 andoperate most efliciently upon the cloth to loosen. the dust therein, theloose dust being drawn by the exhaust mechanism through the pipe F andexpelled in obvious ways. The cloth may be passed back and forth overthe dusting brush until dust is entirely removed therefrom, then ifthere be any spots on the material these may be removed-by placing thespotted or stained part of the cloth over the brush C while the latteris rotating. This brush applies the cleansing fluid to the spots and atthe same time exerts a brushing action thereon.

Experience has demonstrated that a machine constructed and operated inthe manner above described is most efiicient. It can be built at smallcost and operated at small ex ense.

o claim as our invention 1. A cloth cleaning machine, comprising atablediaving an opening in its top, a rotary brush extending upwardlythrough said opening, a casing for the brush secured to the under sideof the table, bridge wires extending upwardly and rearwardly from theirfront ends across the opening for supporting the cloth while beingcleaned above the plane of the table, and exhaust mecha nism connectedwith the lower portion of the casing below the brush for drawing airthrough the cloth and the bridge wires while supported by said wires andWhile being acted on by the brush.

2. A cloth cleaning machine, comprising a table having an opening in itstop, a rotary sectional brush extending upwardly through said opening, acasing for the brush secured to the under side of the table having anopening at the top and having its upper front edge fiush with the top ofthe table and its rear edge above the top of the table, bridge wiresextending across the opening for supporting the cloth while beingcleaned, the front ends'of which are supported by the front edge of thecasing and the rear portions of which are supported by and elevated bytherear edge of the casing, and exhaust mechanism connected with thelower port-ion of the casing below the brush for drawing air through thecloth and under the bridge wires while the cloth is being supported bysaid wires and being acted on by the brush.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto subscribed our.names.

ALONZO L. HILD'R-ETH. ALEXANDER M. MGLENDON.

